A groundbreaking new study has revealed that eight major psychiatric disorders may share a common genetic foundation. Conducted by a US-based research team, the study identified specific genetic variants that are active during brain development and appear across multiple mental health conditions. These variants remain influential over long periods, affecting various stages of brain growth.
The genetic study, led by Hyejung Won, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Genetics and the UNC Neuroscience Centre, and Patrick Sullivan, MD, FRANZCP, the Yeargen Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Genetics, has successfully delineated the functional consequences of genetic variants into two groups. Their findings, which were published in Cell, suggest that pleiotropic variants may be optimal targets for treatment due to their extended roles in development and sensitivity to change.
"Pleiotropy was traditionally viewed as a challenge because it complicates the classification of psychiatric disorders," said Won. "However, if we can understand the genetic basis of pleiotropy, it might allow us to develop treatments targeting these shared genetic factors, which could then help treat multiple psychiatric disorders with a common therapy."
The human genome acts as the body's operating manual, containing the instructions that helped us develop from a single cell into a whole person. However, everyone's genetic foundation is unique. There are specific regions of the genome that are prone to genetic variations.
Specific genetic variants can impact biological processes, like protein overproduction or altered synapse formation, affecting brain development and contributing to psychiatric disorders. Luckily, researchers are armed with tools to track these variants and learn more about the origins of disease.
The discovery opens the door to new treatment strategies that could target several disorders simultaneously, potentially transforming psychiatric care.
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